Iraqi prime minister hails liberation of Qayyarah airbase in Nineveh

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced the retaking of an airbase in northern Nineveh province from the Daesh Takfiri terrorists, hailing the liberation as a key step ahead of a much-awaited military operation to recapture the militant-held city of Mosul.

In a statement issued on his website on Saturday, Abadi described the recapture of the airbase in the town of Qayyarah as an “important base to liberate Mosul” and called on the city’s residents “to get ready for the liberation of their areas.”

The photo shows the Qayyarah airbase, following its recapture by Iraqi forces from Daesh militants on July 9, 2016.

Iraqi government forces fully liberated the strategic airbase in Qarayyah, a town located some 60 kilometers (40 miles) south of Mosul, from Daesh militants.

Mosul, located about 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad, fell to Daesh militants in June 2014, when the Takfiri terrorist group mounted an offensive in the Arab country and overran parts of Iraq in north and west.

In another recent victory, Iraqi forces managed to push Daesh militants out of Fallujah city, located roughly 69 kilometers (43 miles) west of Baghdad, last month. Fallujah was held by Daesh for more than two years.